Unitary window structure



Oct. 3, 1961 F. TOURVILLE UNITARY wmnow STRUCTURE ATT NEYS Q INVENTOR FRmvk A. fiver/44E BY M .9

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1959 3,002,556 UNITARY WINDOW STRUCTURE Frank L. Tonrville, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Cole- Sewell Engineering Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 802,970 3 Claims. (Cl. 160--92) This invention has to do with a novel unitary window structure. It is desirable to have a window structure which provides a readily removable sash which can be very simply lifted out of the window frame and which is adapted to be retained within the window frame of said structure in a partially opened position by a simple tilting of the sash with no adjustment or handling of auxiliary parts being required. The conventional type of window requires the use of hinges for holding the sash in position and the use of auxiliary means such as a chain or we tendable arm for holding the sash in opened condition.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a unitary window frame having a sash adapted to be removably secured within said frame by merely being placed therein and adapted to be retained therein in a partially opened position by simply being tilted.

It is another object of this invention to provide a unitary window frame constructed to have a double weather seal as an integral part thereof in connection with a sash therein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a unitary window frame having a sash adapted to be pivotally supported therein and stop members at either side of said frame integral therewith for engaging portions of said sash when said sash is tilted for holding the same in a partially opened position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a unitary window frame having spaced flanges about the frame opening and a sash having portions thereabout to mate with said flanges for providing a double weather seal.

It is also an object of this invention to provide snap-in spring clips for removably holding the window panes in the sash.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a Window frame having spaced channels across the top and bottom thereof, one of said channels having a greater depth than the other whereby a sash, such as a screen sash, may be disposed and retained within said channels.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a window frame having a flange upstanding from the sill thereof and extending thereacross, a stop member at either side of said frame integral therewith and offset inwardly from the sides thereof and being spaced upwardly somewhat from the bottom of the window opening 'in said frame, a window sash having a flange extending at right angles therefrom adjacent the bottom thereof adapted to be supported on and pivot on said flanged sill portion and having flanges extending outwardly endwise at either end thereof adapted to engage said stop members for retaining said window sash in a partially opened position when said window sash is tilted.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation showing applicants device in position in a broken away portion of a wall structure with a portion of the device being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 as indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a View in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1 as indicated by the arrows and having some parts thereof shown in alternate posimm;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 44 of FIG. 2 as indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale in horizontal section taken on line 55 of FIG. 1 as indicated by the arrows.

With reference to the drawings, like reference characters are used to indicate identical parts throughout the several views. Referring to FIG. 1, a unitary window structure 10 is indicated set into a wall portion 11. Said window structure comprises generally a window frame 12, a window sash 14 and a screen sash 16.

Said window frame 12 may be variously formed and of various suitable materials. Said frame is here indicated as being formed of extruded aluminum channel strips basically U-shaped in form consisting of vertical end members 18 and 19, a head member 20 and a sill member 21. The U-shaped portions of said members extend outwardly of said frame. The outer spaced side portions 18a and 19a of the U-shaped portions of said end members 18 and 19 have inwardly extending terminal lip or shoulder forming portions 13b and 19b re spectively. Extending outwardly of said end members 18 and 19 parallel to and intermediate said spaced side portions and being of substantial width are flanges 18c and respectively.

Said head member 20 has outwardly spaced side portions 20a and 20b respectively and at the free ends of said side portions are inwardly turned lip or shoulder forming portions 20c. I

The sill member 21 has depending spaced side portions 21a and 21b respectively, which side portions respectively have inwardly extending terminal lip portions 210 forming shoulders.

Adjacent the outer ends of said head and sill members 20 and 21 respectively and integral therewith, as indicated in FIG. 3, are apertured elongated lug portions 20d and 21d respectively here shown being somewhat circular in form in cross section and respectively having open slots along the upper portions thereof. Said head and sill members are disposed between said end members 18 and 19 butting thereagainst and being flush with the outer ends thereof. Adapted to be disposed through the sides of said end members in alignment with said apertured lug portions are self-tapping screws 23. Said screws will be threaded into said lug portions for securely holding said window frame 12 together as an integral unit.

As indicated in 'FIGS. 1 and 3, the outer portion of said frame 12 is adapted to be set into wall 11 and have the building materials of said wall, such as brick and mortar, disposed into and about the outer U-shaped portion of said frame 12 to hold said frame securely in position. The outwardly extending sides and shoulders formed at the ends of said sides of said frame as described provide a good purchase or hold for the material, such as mortar, disposed therein.

In connection with said sill member 21, as indicated in FIG. 3, is an upward extension of its side 21a forming an upstanding flange or sill portion 21a extending thereacross.

With reference to the opening within said window frame 12, there is recessed inwardly from the side 20a of head 20 and extending thereacross a depending right-angled flange 20a. In alignment with said flange 20a and extending substantially the full length of said end members 18 and 19 are flanges 18d and 19d respectively. Said flanges 18d and 19d at their lower ends stop short somewhat above the sill member 21.

Spaced inwardly of said flange Zita transversely of said window frame 12 is a similar flange 20a of greater width. Extending along said end members 18 and 19 are flanges 18c and 19a which are in alignment with said flange a and are of the same width. Said flanges 18a and 19e are set inwardly for some distance from the outer side of said members 18 and 19. Flange 28a is set in for some distance from the outer side of head member 20.

Parallel to said flange 20s and of the same width is a depending side portion 29 forming a downward extension of the side 20b. Thus flanges 20a and 20f form a channel 20g. Said sill member 21 has a downward offset portion formed therein in alignment with said channel 20g and forming a channel 21g with its outer wall 21 formed by an upward extension of said side 21b. Said channel 21g as here indicated is formed having a depth about one-half of the depth of said channel 20g.

Window sash 14 is adapted to be removably and pivotally disposed into the window opening of said frame 12. Said window sash 14 is formed as an integral unit comprising a frame having a flat surrounding edge portion and having its top and side portions substantially T-shaped in cross section to form a flange 25a. The upper or outer portion of said flange 25a is adapted to overlie flanges 18d, 19d and 20a to form a weather seal in being positioned thereagainst.

The bottom portion of said window sash 14 at the inner side thereof has an upwardly extending flange 25b. Depending downwardly from said bottom or lower side of said window sash and spaced transversely thereof are a pair of relatively short flanges 25c forming supporting or leg portions. Extending outwardly at right angles to said flange 25b and adapted to overlie the edge portion of flange 21a is a flange 25d.

Said window sash 14 will have its frame 25 of a size to fit within said flanges 18d, 19d and 20a when supported on sill 21 by its leg portions 25c. The bottom portion of said frame 25 at either end thereof extends outwardly endwise sufliciently to form flanges 25s with said flanges being adapted to fit within said opening of said window frame 12 as indicated in FIG. 4. When said window sash 14 is positioned within the opening of said frame 12, said flanges 252 will be moved beneath and disposed beneath the lower ends of said flanges 18d and 19d.

At the outer edge of said frame 25 oppositely its T- shaped side and extending thereabout is an inwardly extending shoulder 25f with said shoulder having an inner inclined Wall 25g. When said sash is in closed position it will butt up against the inner side flanges 18e, 19a and 20a to form a second weather seal.

Secured to end portions 18 and 19 respectively are stop members 27 here shown formed of flat strip material having upwardly extending portions 27a secured to said end members 18 and 19 by bolts 29 and being positioned some distance above the sill member 21. Said stop members 27 have downwardly extending offset portions 27b with said offset portions having inverted substantially V-shaped notches 27c therein. Said notches 270 are adapted to engage therein the flanges 25e when the window sash 14 is tilted on the upstanding sill portion 21a with said sash 14 being supported at the juncture of the flange 25d and the adjacent supporting portion 250. The stop members 27 will be positioned as to their vertical positions for controlling as may be desired the extent to which the sash 14 will be retained in tilted open position. Said sash 14 is here shown having a vertical mullion strip 25h centrally thereof and said strip is provided with flanges 2511 at either side thereof at the front of said sash, and a pair of shoulders 2511 at either side at the rear thereof with said shoulders corresponding to the shoulders 25] whereby there is formed a pair of openings to receive the window panes 30. Said window panes 30 will be fitted into said sash 14 with a glazing bead 31 being disposed between said window glass 30 and the flanges adjacent thereto. Spring clips 34 will be used to hold the window panes in position. Said clips may be variously formed but are here indicated as having a right-angled end portion adapted to engage an outer edge portion of said window pane 30 and to be curved upwardly and rearwardly to be engaged by the inner sides of said shoulders 25g and 2511 to removably hold said window panes 30 in position under constant tension. Thus the glazing bead 31 forms an effective weather seal.

Adapted to hold said window sash 14 in locked position is a latch member 36 shown here to be very simply constructed in the form of a bar 36a pivoted by a bolt 36b to the upper portion of window sash 14- with the lower end as shown in FIG. 1 forming a handle portion 36d by having a right-angled flange portion formed thereon and having its other and shorter free end portion 360 adapted to be engaged in a keeper 2011 which may be easily formed by curving outwardly a portion of the upstanding side 20a of the head member 20, as indicated in FIG. 3. Said keeper may be variously formed in other obvious ways as may be desired.

Adapted to be disposed in channels 20] and 21f is the screen sash 16. Said sash will be formed as an integral member having a frame 40 substantially U-shaped in cross section, as indicated in FIG. 3, with its open sides extending outwardly, and having about the opening therein a substantially right-angled flange 41 forming a channel 42. A sheet 43 of suitable screening material is placed over the opening of said screen sash 40 and is secured in position by having a bead 44 framing said sheet 43 and being forced into said channel 42. to be frictionally held therein. Said channel will have a somewhat restricted opening for securely holding said head 44 in position, as indicated in FIG. 5.

To place said window sash 14 in operating position in said frame 12, said window sash is merely taken in hand, the endwise extending flanges 25e are moved inwardly over the sill of said frame and beneath the lower ends of said flanges 18e and 192. The flange 25d will rest on the flange 21a with the leg portions 250 resting on the sill 21 of said frame. The above cooperating structure as indicated forms an effective weather seal.

The flanges about said window sash and the sash itself in cooperation with the flanges within the window opening of said window frame 12, as previously described, also form an effective double weather seal.

To open said window sash 14, it is merely tilted towards the operator, the endwise extending flanges 25e in being tilted upwardly come into engagement with sides of the notched portions of the stop members 27. The flange 25d which normally rests on the flange 21a forms a pivot point with the wall adjacent thereto for said window sash. In this manner said window sash 14 will-be retained in a partially opened position, as indicated in FIG. 3.

As to the screen sash, with the upper channel 20g being of greater depth than the lower channel 21g, said sash is merely raised upwardly until the lower edge portion is free of the window pane and it is then merely moved outwardly for complete removal.

Thus there is provided a simply constructed and simply operated unitary window frame construction in which the sash therein are easily positioned or removed, and the window sash therein can be easily opened to a safe position without the use of any movable auxiliary parts, such as hinges or chains or the like. Applicants device has proved to be very successful in commercial use.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary window structure having in combination, a window frame, an upstanding sill portion, a stop member recessed at each inner side of said frame adjacent the bottom thereof, said stop members comprising strap-like portions having right-angled outwardly and vertically depending portions having open notches at their free ends, a sash disposable in said frame, a right-angled flange formed across the bottom of said sash at one side thereof, said flange being adapted to be disposed on said sill portion to pivotally swing thereon, a portion extending outwardly endwise from the bottom of said sash at either end thereof adapted to engage said notched end portions of said stop members when said sash is pivoted to a partially opened position for holding said sash in said open position.

2. A unitary window structure having in combination, a window frame, an upstanding sill portion across said frame, a flange spaced inwardly of said frame for a short distance within the opening thereof and extending across the top thereof and downwardly at each side for a dis tance just short of the full length of each side, a second flange of substantially greater width than said first flange extending along the full length of the sides and across the top of said frame being spaced inwardly transversely of said frame for some distance from said first flange and being parallel therewith, a sash, a flange extending across said sash at one side thereof spaced upwardly from the bottom thereof in a plane at right angles to the plane of said sash forming a right angle with said side of said sash extending therebelow and adapted to be pivotally supported on said sill portion, a flange about the sides and top of said sash in the plane thereof for engagement with said first flange to overlie the same and a shoulder about the edge portion of said sash at the other side thereof adapted to abut against said second mentioned flange, a stop member at either inner side of said frame spaced somewhat upwardly from the bottom thereof, said stop members comprising strap portions being removably secured to said inner sides of said frame and having portions extending outwardly and downwardly to form a right-angled offset portion with the depending portions thereof being spaced inwardly of said frame just short of engagement with the sides of said sash, open-ended notches formed in the free ends of said bottom portions, and a flat horizontally disposed flange extending endwise at either side of the bottom of said sash adapted to engage said notched portions When said sash is tilted on said sill portion to a partially opened position.

3. A unitary window structure having in combination, a window frame, an upstanding sill portion across the rear of said frame, a flange spaced inwardly of the rear side of said frame within the opening thereof in the plane of said frame extending across the top and downwardly of each side substantially the full lengths thereof, a pair of spaced parallel flanges extending within the opening of said frame forming channels adjacent the front side of said frame across thetop thereof and for the full length of each side thereof, a channel formed across the bottom of said frame in alignment with said top and side channels, and a sash having a height somewhat less than the length of the sides of said frame to be adapted to be removably disposed in said channels, a second sash having a flange across the top and along each side thereof adapted to overlie said first mentioned flange in said frame, said second sash having a flange extending thereacross spaced upwardly from the bottom thereof forming a right-angled portion adapted to rest on and be pivotally swingable on said sill portion, stop members removably secured at each inner side of said frame spaced upwardly from the bottom thereof, said stop members each having a right-angled outwardly extending vertically depending portion having a notched free end, and horizontally disposed portions extending outwardly endwise from either end of the bottom of said sash adapted to engage said notched portions when said sash is pivoted on said sill portion to a partially opened position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

